


how soon is now?

by betuls



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, author was too invested in haechan/hendery, but it's still a hencas fic!, just everyone being soft, some anxiety but only a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:01:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27756556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betuls/pseuds/betuls
Summary: Soulmate AU in which you get random glimpses of your soulmate in mirrors that only stop once you meet them in person.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Wong Kun Hang | Hendery, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Wong Kun Hang | Hendery/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 16
Kudos: 69
Collections: Challenge #3 — soulmates





	how soon is now?

**Author's Note:**

> please don't think about the details of the concept too much because i did not either❤️ i was aiming for something sweet 🦭
> 
> and think of the glimpes like snaps, without the audio!!
> 
> this is my first completed work in english, i hope it wasn't too bad! 
> 
> thank you to mods, and thank you so much for your help, my Favorite Yuta Stan, i love u always ♡

Kunhang’s first memory of his soulmate is from when he’s only an 8 year old who just happened to check himself in the princess mirror of his sister, during one of their Princess Tea Parties.

He knew he would get a glimpse of his soulmate eventually, his mom had explained the concept to him when his oldest sister got her first glimpse at age 11. He remembers her saying how eerie it was to see someone else in the mirror instead of your own reflection, which, for some reason scared the hell out of his 5 years old self that it took his mom’s lengthy explanation to stop him crying.

“Everyone has their own person in this world, Kunhang.” his mom had explained. “We have no way of knowing how or when we will meet them. But until we meet them, we get to see them from the mirrors.”

She had placed him on her lap and shown him a small hand mirror with Sailor Moon stickers on it.

“I saw your father in this mirror for the first time,” she had said, voice surprisingly soft. “I would keep this mirror everywhere with me and check him throughout the day. Even seeing him for only a few seconds was comforting to me, knowing that I have my own _person_ out there and he might be seeing me too. It’s kind of like growing up with a friend who lives far away, but I had learned so much about him until I met him thanks to this mirror. I saw the first time he got his flu shot, I knew he visited his grandparents every summer, and-”

Kunhang interrupted her.

“Mom, did you ever see dad picking his nose as a kid?” he asked, which made his mom laugh.

“Can you keep a secret?” his mom had whispered. “I see him doing that even as a big man now.”

All his fears forgotten, he had started giggling in his mom’s soft words and embrace.

So, he impatiently waited for the day he would finally see this special person.

And when he got his first _glimpse_ , he had seen a boy just like him, with huge eyes and a bright smile, with other kids in a room. He had a swimming ring around his belly, which confused Kunhang. Before he could inspect more, the glimpse was over.

🪞

After the first glimpse, he starts carrying a small mirror (not the princess mirror, his sister won’t let him have it no matter how much he begs) around just like his mother.

He learns a lot about his soulmate. But not much at the same time.

He knows he has a younger brother.

He knows he eats a lot.

He knows he has a lot of friends.

He knows his birthday is on January 25th. (Kunhang celebrates it every year after he learns this information, putting a candle on whatever food he can sneak into his room without anyone noticing. He’s not sure if his soulmate ever sees it, but it comforts him. But he hopes his efforts aren’t futile, and they make his soulmate happy and cared for.)

He loves video games.

But he also doesn’t know his name, never having caught it in any of the glimpses. Or where he lives. Or if he sees him. And if he sees him, does he like him at all?

He sometimes shares his worries with his sisters and they try to help him with their own experiences.

“There is nothing to dislike about you,” Crystal says once. “And getting worried about it won’t help you either; you will meet him when the universe decides you’re ready for it. So, focus on being yourself instead of worrying and you’ll be _ready_ for him.”

So he tries his best to enjoy the process.

🪞

Life gets more fun after middle school, when he meets Donghyuck.

Donghyuck is simultaneously a little ball of fire and a marshmallow, Kunhang thinks when they first meet. He’s so clever for his own age (and for his own good, honestly) but thankfully he uses it for good, mostly. And just like Kunhang, Donghyuck loves making people next to him happy. They grow close in no time.

So, on the third day of their friendship, Donghyuck is sitting on his bed, telling him all about his soulmate. And Kunhang is so excited to talk about this with someone new.

“I don’t think he lives in Korea,” Donghyuck says, eating another piece of apple from the fruit plate Kunhang’s mother made. “His friends don’t look Korean.”

“So you have to move away?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he will move here? Because I’m sure he’s Korean,” he sighs. “It’s confusing.”

“I get it. I see mine eating Thai food, sometimes Chinese food. I once caught him trying his dog’s food, too…” Kunhang confesses.

“He sounds fun!”

“He’s weird…” Kunghang complains, but he can hear how fond he sounds.

“And you love him.”

Apparently Donghyuck can hear it too.

“Yes,” Kunhang finds himself admitting it out loud for the first time.

🪞

From then on, they are attached at the hip, as their classmates and teachers say. They wear the name _Trouble Twins_ with pride and Kunhang’s family welcomes Donghyuck like a second son. Even his sisters _adore_ him.

After 4 years of friendship, seeing him almost every day and sharing every meaningless thought in his head with him, Donghyuck makes Kunhang realise something new: soulmates aren’t just lovers. He might not see Donghyuck’s face in his mirror, but he’s sure he’s another soulmate of his. He doesn’t need the universe to know that.

🪞

Donghyuck and Kunhang stick together in college too, to no one's surprise.

Seoul’s a big city and college is more hectic than they expected, so their focus isn’t on each other anymore, but they stay in contact with texts during the day so much that Kunhang feels like they still see each other daily.

He can’t focus on his soulmate like he did in high school either, trying out different courses to find his major and befriending new people taking up so much of his time as a freshman that sometimes he goes hours without looking at his mirror.

So, when he arrives at his dorm, he usually immediately checks his mirror before shooting a text to Donghyuck.

**kunhang🦩:** he’s watching the truman show rn i’m in love already….  
**hyuuuuck👯:** simp! but lmao isn’t that the movie when we were like 15 and like  
**kunhang🦩:** yes.  
**kunhang🦩:** it’s the movie that i outlined its entire plot as an original idea to u and u hyped me up to join a writing contest when u knew it was already a movie  
**hyuuuuck👯:** i convinced u t--DSLKJFDYOU HAVE TO ADMIT ITS FUNNY  
**kunhang🦩:** I WROTE A WHOLE 35 PAGES FOR NOTHNG U BASTARD??  
**kunhang🦩:** BUT YEAH IT WAS FUNNYDFJGL  
**kunhang🦩:** anyways i’m gonna rewatch with him  
**hyuuuuck👯:** yeah do it? maybe he’ll see u too omg  
**kunhang🦩:** :( i hope so  
**hyuuuuck👯:** and when u guys meet and i tell him all about ur Novel idea  
**hyuuuuck👯:** then what ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)  
**kunhang🦩:** then perish, donghyuck (/◕ヮ◕)/  
**hyuuuuck👯:** lol i wish i could rn  
**kunhang🦩:** why :(  
**hyuuuuck👯:** yangyang dragged me to his flat  
**kunhang🦩:** and???  
**hyuuuuck👯:** but he has a bunch of other friends over  
**hyuuuuck👯:** they’re chinese too btw  
**hyuuuuck👯:** i feel like a foreigner magnet  
**hyuuuuck👯:** u from macau, yangyang from taiwan, shotaro from japan, now i met this dance major junior from thailand he’s so cool btw  
**hyuuuuck👯:** and there is a dude from hong kong  
**kunhang🦩:** ur the thanos of asian boys  
**kunhang🦩:** collecting boys from all around asia<3  
**hyuuuuck👯:** slfkjdjkfbasically  
**hyuuuuck👯:** they’re talking in 38 different languages my head’s spinning  
**kunhang🦩:** don’t forget i’m the #1 foreigner slut😝

He waits for a response from Donghyuck for a while, but when he doesn’t get one, he thinks he must be distracted, so he plugs his phone in, fixes himself a meal and opens Youtube on his laptop.

It’s almost an hour later when he checks his phone, and sees a flurry of texts and a few missed calls from Donghyuck.

**hyuuuuck👯:** I MET HIM  
**hyuuuuck👯:** HUANG I MET HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
**hyuuuuck👯:** MY SOULMATE  
**hyuuuuck👯:** HIS NAME IS MARK  
**hyuuuuck👯:** CAN YOU BLIEVE IM SUPPOSED TO BE INLOVE WITH A MARK  
**hyuuuuck👯:** WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
**hyuuuuck👯:** he’s so awkward omfg  
**hyuuuuck👯:** but so cute  
**hyuuuuck👯:** fuckkkkkkkk

Kunhang hits the call button.

🪞

Turns out Mark Lee is a friend of the guy from Hong Kong (“His name is Yukhei,” Donghyuck says, “He’s so loud, but friendly and so good looking. Like, _for real_ , he’s so hot.”). He lived in Canada up until he left for college, thinking he might meet his soulmate.

“It was so weird. We locked eyes and I immediately recognised him,” Donghyuck says on the phone.

“What were your first words to him?” Kunhang asks the question that’s been on his mind since he was a kid.

“It’s embarrassing. In my defense, he came out of nowhere, what could I say except for _‘Holy shit’,” he says. Kunhang can hear the cringe in his voice. After a small moment of silence, both start laughing._

“Stop laughing!”

“You’re laughing, too?”

“Yeah, but I’m annoyed and cold on this tiny balcony,” Donhyuck says with a shaky voice. “I’m here so I can gossip with you.”

“You just met your soulmate, don’t get pneumonia and die on him… Drop by when you’re done with… Whatever you’re gonna do with him now.”

“Yeah. We exchanged numbers, I’ll see how it goes from there.” he sighs. “Ugh I really wish I were with you now, I thought you’d be with me when I met him, calming me down or something.”

“We’re not actually attached at the hip, dude.”

“Sometimes I wish we were.”

“No, you don't, that's gross.”

“Just say you hate me… Anyways. I’ll see you. Make me something sweet?”

“I will, you baby.”

“Love you.”

“And I love you, bye,” he hangs up, not sure how he feels.

🪞

Mark and Donghyuck start dating soon after they meet. It’s not a _surprise, of course, most soulmates do that, but they’re not how Kunhang thought soulmates would be like. Not in a bad way, though. Their chemistry is there, their personalities fit together; but not in a soft, puzzle piece way Kunhang thought it would be. It’s more like they are two very different shades of one color._

Kunhang wonders what his connection will be like. But there’s still time for that.

🪞

Mark becomes a solid part of Donghyuck’s (and indirectly Kunhang’s) life, quickly.

“Why do you even want me there, Hyuck?” Kunhang whines.

“You’re my best friend, that’s why,” Donghyuck answers without looking at him, making a drink for tonight.

“It’s your first New Years’ Eve together, you should be doing couple stuff. Like kissing at midnight... I don’t wanna be here when that happens!”

“We’re not gonna make out in front of you unless you want us to. And if you want that, I’ll ask Mark first.”

“Hyuuuuuuuck,” he whines again. “Be serious. Do you feel bad for me?”

“No.”

“Because I’ll be fine on my own. I’m serious. Look at me. Look how fine I am.”

“I’d tell your _fine_ face if I was feeling bad for you. I just want my two favorite people to be with me tonight. I don't want to be in a party full of people and I know you don’t want to either,” he says and he’s right. “And Mark is okay with this. We’re going to watch the shitty Hobbit movies you both like so much. Honestly I’m doing both of you a _favour_ because I’m t-”

“You’re too pretty for them, I know.”

“Exactly. So, stop whining. Mark should be back soon, get the TV ready.”

And that’s the end of it.

Mark’s home when Kunhang’s done with TV, bringing someone with him Kunhang doesn’t recognise.

The stranger is wearing a mask, so only his eyes are visible, but he’s obviously sick, evident from the slouchy pose and half closed lids. _He looks miserable_ , Kunhang thinks.

“Hey, Kunhang. I brought everything!” Mark says and looks at his friend.“And some more. Meet Yukhei. Yukhei, this is Donghyuck’s best friend Kunhang.”

Their eyes meet and he sends a sympathetic look to the boy, not sure if he even sees him.

“Nice to meet you, are you okay?” he asks, worried.

“He has a _really_ bad cold,” Mark replies on Yukhei’s behalf. “I saw how bad he was and couldn’t leave him in the dorms. He’s gonna stay in Johnny's room since he’s not here. I’ll help him settle down and be with you guys in a second.” he says quickly and rushes Yukhei to the room.

“Sorry to hear that...” Kunhang says in a small voice as they go, not sure if he was heard.

🪞

  
  


They eat everything they’ve prepared this afternoon while watching the first movie. In between getting snacks, Kunhang checks his mirror. And doesn’t see anything. Which is a first. He doesn’t know what this means, but he remains calm. He puts the mirror in his pocket, waits for a few minutes. _This should work_ , he thinks. _Just like on/offing electronics._ He takes out the mirror again.

And nothing. Only his nervous face looking back at him. He feels sick.

He finds Mark and Donghyuck arguing over something on the couch.

“My mirror doesn’t work.” gets their attention.

“What?” Donghyuck asks from where he’s lying on Mark’s thighs.

“I can’t see him. I can’t see anything.”

“What the fuck.” Donghyuck is next to him in a second, grabbing the mirror from his hand and examining it like he can make it work.

“Did this ever happen before? Is it broken or something?” Mark asks as Donghyuck hands the mirror to him.

“No. I always see him. No matter where or what time it is.”

Kunhang can’t feel his legs and lets the couch swallow him. Donghyuck is next to him in a second, holding his hand. He tries to hold onto it, but his mind is going fast, coming up with worst case scenarios.

“Do you think he’s dead?”

“No.”

“Maybe that’s why it doesn’t work anymore. It makes sense. Something happened to him.” he feels like crying.

“No,” Donghyuck insists. “The universe isn’t cruel like that. I’ve never heard something like that happening before.”

“Maybe I’m the first one.”

“That’s stupid. Stop. We’re going to figure it out. I’ll call my mom first. Then your mom. They’ll know.”

“But-"

Mark interrupts them.

“What if you met him already? Without realising? Who else did you talk to today?” he asks.

“You picked me up from my dorm, I didn’t talk to anyone else. It was working, I saw him sleeping just this afternoon!” Kunhang says, and he did. After arriving at Mark's flat he had checked his mirror.

“Oh my God.” Donghyuck shoots up from his seat suddenly.

He looks at Mark and Mark’s eyes widen like they just communicated through telepathy.

“Dude,” Mark whips out his phone.

And then he’s shoving the phone to his face, Kunhang not understanding what’s going on.

“Do you recognise him?”

He recognizes Mark first, wearing a Supreme hoodie, but it must be an old photo because his hair is brown. Then he sees the boy next to him.

The face he’s seen every day since he was 8. Sitting right next to Mark, his hand in mid-air. He’s cute.

“How?” is the only thing he can ask.

Donghyuck is strangling him suddenly.

“You met him, dumbass. You met your soulmate! That’s why your mirror doesn’t work!!”

“I don’t get it…”

Kunhang _seriously_ doesn’t get it.

“Dude, this is Yukhei! My friend!” Mark says, swiping through his gallery now, showing him more and more photos.

“I can’t believe this, Kunhang. We could have met them together if you were with me that day! I’m booking us a hip-joint surgery, _that's it_.”

“Dude, shut up,” Mark says, laughing. “let me show you his Insta.” He hands his phone to Kunhang.

Kunhang has always been aware of how attractive his soulmate was. He has _eyes_ , after all And he remembers Donghyuck saying Yukhei was _‘a really hot insta model’_ , but that description is just not enough. He scrolls through his feed and is convinced that this is the most gorgeous person he’s ever seen.

“He’s so…” he says.

“Hot?” Mark and Donghyuck say in unison.

“Out of my league?” he cringes.

“No. We are not going down this road tonight, Kunhang.” Donghyuck’s playful tone is gone.

“But it’s tru-”

“Dude. He’s been obsessed with you.” Mark shuts him up. “Yeah. He told me about you celebrating his birthday every year.”

“He saw those?” Suddenly he’s warm.

“He’s a huge baby, he loves this sappy stuff, he loves _you_.”

Kunhang feels himself blushing.

“I should talk to him, shouldn’t I?” he asks, unsure.

“You should at least say hi, check if he’s fine?” Mark approves.

“Go get him, dude,” Donghyuck says and they both giggle

🪞

Kunhang finds him sleeping messily, the comforter barely covering his body.The sight makes him melt. His skin has a little bit more color now, thanks to the rest he had that day.

He decides to tuck him in properly, but moving the comforter wakes him up.

“Mark?” Yukhei asks in a sleepy, deep voice.

“Uh, not Mark. Sorry.”

He opens his eyes. Their eyes actually meet this time.

“Hi, soulmate,” Kunhang says and sees the recognition in the other boy’s eyes.

“Is this a dream?” Yukhei asks, a smile on his face.

“Nope. We’re finally here.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Nice. You are pretty.”

The sudden compliment catches Kunhang off guard.

“Let’s talk in the morning, huh?”

“What’s your name?” Yukhei asks, but he sounds like he’s about to doze off.

“Kunhang.”

“Okay, goodnight, Kunhang.”

He closes his eyes.

“Goodnight, Yukhei.”

Outside, the fireworks start going off.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading 💌


End file.
